You Can Make a Difference
2 Kings 18:1-6 (KJV)
1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.
2 Chronicles 29:1 (KJV)
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
You Can Make a Difference
Church, I came to tell you today—YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
You may look at your life and think, “Who am I? I don’t have a pulpit, I don’t hold a title, I’m not in the spotlight.” But can I tell you something? God specializes in using ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference.
Today we’re going to look at a woman who only appears in two verses in the Bible. She has no long speeches, no miracles recorded, no psalms or prophecies written in her name. Her name is Abi—also called Abijah.
Yet because of her faithfulness, she raised a son who became one of the greatest reforming kings Judah ever had. Her story reminds us: You don’t have to be famous to be faithful, and you don’t have to be in the spotlight to make a difference.
ABI’S DARK BACKDROP
Let’s first understand the world Abi lived in.
Her father, King Zechariah of Israel, reigned only six months before being assassinated. He followed the sins of Jeroboam – leading the nation deeper into idolatry. Abi probably witnessed firsthand the corruption, the pagan worship, the violence that tore her family apart.
Later, she was married to King Ahaz of Judah—and if you know your Bible, you know Ahaz was one of the most wicked kings Judah ever saw. He sacrificed to idols, burned incense to false gods, even offered his own children in the fire!
Now imagine this—Abi was the wife of a wicked king and the daughter of an assassinated king. Her life was marked by darkness, compromise, and tragedy. She could have given up, she could have been bitter, she could have turned away from God. But instead—she held on to her faith.
Sometimes God allows us to be planted in dark soil so that His light can shine through us. Don’t let the darkness around you define the destiny within you.
ABI’S SILENT INFLUENCE
The Bible doesn’t record Abi preaching sermons. It doesn’t tell us she performed miracles. But we see her fingerprints all over her son’s life.
Her boy Hezekiah became king at 25. And here’s what the Bible says about him in 2 Kings 18:5–6:
“He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.”
Where did Hezekiah get that kind of faith?
Not from his father Ahaz. Ahaz worshiped idols. Ahaz burned his children. Ahaz rejected God.
No, that kind of faith came from a praying mama. That kind of devotion came from a mother’s quiet teaching, her whispered prayers, her Godly example in the middle of an ungodly house.
Sometimes the greatest sermons are not preached in pulpits but in living rooms.
Sometimes the loudest gospel is not shouted but whispered in prayer.
Sometimes the greatest ministry you’ll ever have is not a crowd—it’s your child, your disciple, your one person who catches fire for God because of your faith.
THE POWER OF A GODLY PARENT (OR MENTORS)
Let’s not miss this—Abi’s faith SKIPPED a generation. Her father was evil. Her husband was wicked. But her son was righteous.
Maybe you come from a line of brokenness. Maybe your parents or grandparents didn’t live for God. But here’s the good news: IT CAN SKIP A GENERATION.
You can break the cycle. You can be the one who says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
And this doesn’t just apply to parents, it applies to anyone who mentors, teaches, or invests in others.
Teachers, your students are watching.
Leaders, your example is shaping lives.
Church members, your prayers may be the very thing holding someone up.
You may never know the difference you’re making, but heaven knows. Abi probably never lived to see all Hezekiah accomplished, but her legacy lived through him.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
So what does this mean for us today?
You may feel overlooked. Abi was mentioned in just two verses. But those two verses show us a woman whose faith changed history.
You may feel like you’re in a dark place. Abi lived surrounded by wickedness, yet her faith held strong.
You may feel like your influence is small. But Abi shows us that one faithful life can produce a revival in the next generation.
Hezekiah tore down idols, restored worship, and brought Judah back to God. But it started with a mother’s faith.
There’s an old saying: “Behind every great man is a praying woman.” I believe behind every revival is a hidden intercessor. Behind every Hezekiah is an Abi.
Think about it—no Abi, no Hezekiah. No Hezekiah, no reform in Judah. No reform, and who knows how quickly Judah would have fallen?
Church, you can make a difference. You may never see your name in lights. You may never be in the headlines. But heaven records your prayers, your faith, your tears, your faithfulness.
The Lord is talking to your heart.
Today, God is calling some Abies’s . Some mothers, fathers, mentors, and spiritual parents who will stand in the gap.
Maybe your family doesn’t serve God—but YOU can be the one to change that story.
Maybe your children are far from God—but YOUR prayers can bring them back.
Maybe you feel small and unseen—but YOUR faith can spark revival in someone else’s life.
Never forget church.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Gospel isn’t a message of hate rather forgiveness, God is looking for someone who will make a difference. When your life is over and they bury you in the dirt, those you have made a difference in will be the only ones to carry your legacy.